Current District Resources
Recharge and Retention
Preparation
Clear design, construction, and maintenance standards that prioritize accessibility, safety, and ecological health.
Maintenance
Defined patrol, monitoring, and regulatory frameworks that ensure consistent management and accountability.
Wet Seasons
Practical guidelines for signage, vegetation, and long-term governance that preserve the Wash’s natural function and visitor experience.
Dry Periods
As water settles through sand and gravel, it replenishes aquifers that support homes, businesses, habitat, and open space during dry periods.
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Preparation
Clear design, construction, and maintenance standards that prioritize accessibility, safety, and ecological health.
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Maintenance
Defined patrol, monitoring, and regulatory frameworks that ensure consistent management and accountability.
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Wet Seasons
Practical guidelines for signage, vegetation, and long-term governance that preserve the Wash’s natural function and visitor experience.
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Dry Periods
As water settles through sand and gravel, it replenishes aquifers that support homes, businesses, habitat, and open space during dry periods.
Cooperative
Water
Management
Since 1976, the District has served as neutral manager for the Santa Ana River and Mill Creek Cooperative Water Project. Ten public and private agencies participate. The District coordinates transfers and exchanges, documents flows, and provides transparent accounting so water reaches where it is authorized and needed.
This role fits the District’s structure. It is neither a wholesaler nor a retailer, which helps maintain objectivity when balancing interests across the watershed. Daily reporting supports operational decisions, and long experience with local hydrology strengthens coordination during both wet and dry cycles.The result is a dependable framework that respects water rights, improves efficiency among partners, and supports regional planning that benefits the entire basin.
Oversight and Accountability
The District also serves as one of three court-appointed members of the Big Bear Watermaster. This responsibility includes tracking inflows and outflows at Big Bear Lake, verifying allocations, and protecting contributions that support downstream recharge. Staff review data, prepare formal reports, and collaborate with fellow Watermaster members to uphold the judgment that governs this system.
The work is technical and precise. It relies on measured flows, clear documentation, and steady communication with agencies that manage adjoining reaches. By safeguarding the integrity of these accounts, the District protects a vital link in the hydrologic chain that feeds the Bunker Hill Basin and sustains local supplies.
The District’s work focuses on capturing surface water during wet seasons, improving recharge facilities, monitoring basin conditions, and maintaining the health of connected habitats.
Groundwater
Stewardship
Groundwater is the quiet foundation of life in the San Bernardino Valley. Beneath the surface lies a complex network of aquifers that store the water sustaining homes, farms, businesses, and ecosystems. The San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District protects these underground reserves through a deliberate balance of science, management, and care.
